Purpose and Meaning of Human Existence Essay

One of the extraordinary incongruities as for Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot is that one of the world’s most noteworthy plays is so inadequately comprehended. There are, no doubt, many clashing understandings. Exact subjects or expectations have been hard to observe from the play’s content. These interpretive challenges have been entangled by the way that Beckett was frequently sly when gotten some information about the specific reason for specific characters in the play or the significance of the content. This isn't intended to recommend that specific subjects and goals can't be resolved, for there positively have all the earmarks of being sure topical examples, yet rather to propose that the play appears in specific manners to be available to various sorts of translations. A survey of the insightful messages and articles, for example, uncovers scholastic contentions such that the play is about God, salvation, the French protection from German occupation in the verifiable period wherein the play was composed, the motivation behind human presence, and the useless of time. With such an assortment of understandings, bolstered by explicit references to the play’s content and other recorded conditions, it would appear to be about difficult to recognize an overall or bringing together subject. A cautious assessment of the play’s content, notwithstanding, proposes that such a predominant topical component can be found. The theory of this paper, thusly, is that the prevailing topic in Waiting for Godot is the human being’s scan for reason and importance in a world that individuals either don't comprehend or can't comprehend. On the side of this postulation, this paper will endeavor to blend the distinctive basic understandings and show that the principle characters through their discourse on various subjects reliably outline the human mission for reason and importance in a world that appears to be pitifully outside their ability to grasp. Basic Confusion and Multiple Interpretations: Harmonizing Different Perspectives As an underlying issue, before continuing to an assessment of the play’s content, it is valuable to introduce the basic disarray that has emerged from various understandings of the play. This is valuable on the grounds that even these various understandings can be orchestrated to some surviving if the really prevailing topic of the play is supposed to be the human quest for reason and importance in a muddled or complex world. It is entrenched, for instance, that the play presents a progression of all inclusive inquiries; explicitly, as one scholarly has watched, â€Å"Waiting for Godot, from multiple points of view, just expands those vulnerabilities: Why are we here? Is it accurate to say that we are separated from everyone else in a merciless universe, or not? What are we to do while we are here? How might we know? What's more, eventually, what does it make a difference? â€Å"(Hutchings x) These kinds of inquiries, to a huge surviving, rise above a large number of the clashing understandings. On the off chance that Godot is God, as some have contended, at that point Vladimir and Estragon are hanging tight for God. They unreservedly concede that they are not especially acquainted with Godot and this confirmation reflects and fortifies the way that these two individuals don't have an ideal information on the maker of their reality. In the event that Godot isn't God, as some have contended, at that point Vladimir and Estragon are maybe sitting tight for some sort of scholarly sparkle so as to reveal to them why they are pausing, regardless of whether they should leave, or whether it may be smarter to leave their spot by the tree and find a way to proceed to locate the baffling Godot. In either occasion, regardless of whether Godot speaks to God or a metaphorical sort of scholarly enlightenment, the center subject is one of two people who appear to be reliably unfit to figure out what to do. They take part in a progression of shallow discussions, they think about self destruction as a method of consummation their disarray, and at long last they remain solidly planted on the nation street much as the tree where they hold up is immovably planted in the ground. Regardless of whether one is to expect, as certain researchers have, that the play is actually a masterful inference to the French obstruction or the beginning of the Cold War, this doesn't really sabotage the thought that individuals are by one way or another caught inside a world or social conditions wherein they have little control or small understanding. The significant point, for motivations behind this paper’s theory, is that the clashing understandings can be risen above in the event that one expect that the supernatural topic is one most explicitly identified with the human being’s look for reason and importance in a confounding physical world. Regardless of whether Vladimir and Estragon are sitting tight for God, a genuine individual, scholarly information on social conditions, or the laws of the universe is on a very basic level unrelated to the way that they are powerless in the conditions that Beckett has made. They are insignificant, weak, and aloof. The remainder of this paper hence continues from the supposition that the clashing understandings can be bound together by regarding the major subject as the quest for reason and significance throughout everyday life. This key subject will be talked about in the accompanying segments by alluding to explicit highlights of the play. Hugeness of Human Companionship: Pairs, Dependence, and Shared Searches One of the most significant basic highlights of the play is the way that people are depicted as being phenomenally reliant and incapable to exist in disconnection or separately. This is generally obvious in the way that the play’s characters come two by two and appear from multiple points of view to be indivisible. The principle characters, for example, are Vladimir and Estragon. No doubt they have shown up as a couple, they keep on holding up as a couple, and in spite of the fact that they never leave they do discuss leaving as a couple. They have various characters, they would seem to have various foundations given the various stories that they tell, but they appear to be reluctant or incapable to isolate and head out in their own direction. This idea of human connection, a typical dread or numbness about the significance of human presence, is especially clear when Vladimir and Estragon are examining the torturous killing of Jesus Christ and the two cheats on the cross close to Jesus. In particular, the dread of being separated from everyone else and the accentuation of human friendship is given in the accompanying section VLADIMIR: Ah truly, the two cheats. Do you recall the story? ESTRAGON: No. VLADIMIR: Shall I tell it to you? ESTRAGON: No. VLADIMIR: It’ll sit back. (Respite. ) Two hoodlums, executed simultaneously as our Savior. One†ESTRAGON: Our what? VLADIMIR: Our Savior. Two criminals. One should have been spared and the other . . . (he scans for the opposite of spared) . . . condemned (Becket n. p. ) This section shows the requirement for human friendship and furthermore the requirement for people to rely upon one another. This friendship is important in light of the fact that people must face the vulnerabilities of the world and human presence together. The reliance is in this way brought about by a dread that people will be not able to adapt to these vulnerabilities though people sharing these feelings of dread can in any event face these vulnerabilities together. This basic bond, to put it plainly, causes individuals to manage their disarray about the importance of human presence better than if they considered these inquiries alone. An assessment of the whole play reliably strengthens these thoughts of friendship and reliance. Later on in the play, for instance, Vladimir and Estragon are thinking about self destruction and the pair again develop worried that one will effectively end it all and the other will come up short. The possibility that one of them will pass on and one will live is a startling idea for the two men since one will be unattended in death and the other will be unattended throughout everyday life. Once more, in light of the fact that the reason and the significance of human presence is obscure both throughout everyday life and in death, the pair will not separate or seek after any activity that may annihilate their passionate and physical securities. At another point in the play, Estragon expresses that â€Å"There are times when I wonder in the event that it wouldn’t be better for us to part† to which Vladimir reacts somewhat unassumingly â€Å"You wouldn’t go far. † (Beckett n. p. ). The play couldn't exist as it was planned if the pair could possibly do isolate. The mission for reason and the importance of human presence is thusly a typical human journey as opposed to an individual’s individual weight. These thoughts of human friendship and a mutual journey are considerably more intensely gave the human blending of Pozzo and Lucky. In their first appearance, Lucky is a slave but then he inclines toward being a slave and being needy to being liberated. Fortunate is mocked, he is known as a pig, but then he responds irately when somebody other than Pozzo endeavors to support him; all the more especially, he kicks Estragon in the shins. A telling scene in this regard is when Lucky seems to black out subsequent to moving and giving his somewhat incongruous discourse; all the more especially, Pozzo is profoundly frightful at the possibility of losing his slave when he says Don’t let him go! (Vladimir and Estragon totter. ) Don’t move! (Pozzo gets sack and bin and brings them towards Lucky. ) Hold him tight! (He places the sack in Lucky’s hand. Fortunate drops it right away. ) Don’t let him go! (He returns the pack in Lucky’s hand. Continuously, at the vibe of the sack, Lucky recoups his faculties and his fingers at long last close round the handle. ) Hold him tight! (Beckett n. p. ) Even a human ace is subject to his slave, the friendship of ace and slave is personal on the grounds that both dread confronting the vulnerabilities of life alone, and like the bond that exists among Vladimir and Estragon, so too does an undeniable bond exist among Pozzo and Lucky. This bond is fortified in the second demonstration when Pozzo returns visually impaired and his neck is attached to a rope being held by Lucky. Pozzo

Stateless nation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Stateless country - Essay Example 28). For this investigation, we will investigate Taiwan. â€Å"The state ought to socially know about itself as a discrete body and with a discrete city structure† (Storm, Carsten, and Harrison, p. 8). For a considerable length of time, the individuals of Taiwan have lived with no opportunity that is they live by the experience of a provincial people (Richard, p. 17). They were not allowed the chance to oversee themselves. Taiwan populace comprised of displaced people, privateers, colonizers and colonizers who relocated to the island from various starting points. Because of this, each individual or gathering that moved into the region have they are own accepts, objectives and dreams. Consequently, the individuals who lived there had no character that kept them from battling for their privileges (Yasutomo, p.34). Taiwan contains numerous impacts that are non-china. The republican government controls them. Taiwan is alluded to as a ‘rebelling province’ by the legislature of opponent People’s Republic of china. They are viewed as defying the legitimate legislature of joined china. Due to the non-china impacts got from the district, Taiwanese can allude as a revolting region (Minahan, p.

Key West

Key West Key West, city (1990 pop. 24,832), seat of Monroe co., S Fla., on an island at the southwestern extremity of the Florida Keys ; inc. 1828. About 150 mi (240 km) from Miami (but only 90 mi/145 km from Cuba), it is the southernmost city of the continental United States. It is a port of entry and a cruise-ship stop, a popular resort with a tropical climate, a shrimping and fishing center, and an artists' colony. Tropical fruits are harvested, but tourism is central to the economy. Early Spanish sailors called the site Cayo Hueso (Bone Island), because of the human bones they found there. A railroad (completed 1912) linked the Keys with the mainland. It was abandoned after being damaged by a hurricane in 1935 and was replaced by the 123-mi (198-km) Overseas Highway (completed in 1938). After a severe economic decline, the federal government took over (1934) the bankrupt city. Places of interest include a sponge pier, an aquarium, a lighthouse (1846; replacing one built in 1825), Mal lory Square (a daily sunset-viewing point), and two Civil War forts. John James Audubon and Winslow Homer painted in Key West, and the city was used as a setting in the works of Ernest Hemingway , who once lived there. His home (built 1851) was made a museum, as was the Little White House, President Harry S. Truman 's personal retreat. See C. Cox, A Key West Companion (1983). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Political Geography

Feminism and Art History - 1953 Words

The history of mankind has often been captured in snapshots between the rise and fall of great leaders and civilizations, by artists all with a common dream of portraying what they saw during their times. Ideologies reflective of their societies were depicted through sculptures, frescoes, pottery, paintings, and many other methods. Many of these principals were created, celebrated, and popularized by constituents of societies where andocentric values were applied not only to social and political mores, but also to the various art forms as the male body was cherished and praised and the female body was hidden away from public view. The book Feminism and Art History: Questioning the Litany edited by Norma Broude and Mary D. Garrad, strives†¦show more content†¦Kampen concludes by discussing how the image of women portrayed the idealistic views of women as caretakers who stayed at home , and works of art supported this by depicting women as Â…mythological or entertaining, or as an adjunct to the patrons own status; otherwise she might not appear. (pg. 74) The author believes that the artists were in denial of the experiences of working women and thats why the views of working women were limited. The visual portrayals of gender and status in Roman society stand as a bridge linking the work of art and the work of society together as one. The final chapter that I read was one I found extremely conflictant and interesting because not only did we touch on some of these topics in class, but when I visited the Metropolitan Museum I actually had some of the same issues with the works I saw there. Eve and Mary: Conflicting Images of Medieval Woman by Henry Kraus, was by far one of the more fascinating chapters and discussed the distorted views of women as vessels that the Devil could use to entrap a man and cause him to fall from Gods grace, during medieval times and reinforced by the Catholic Church. Monasteries were places that men could go and abstain from w orldly pleasures, proving their dedication to God and refraining from anything that could cause them to sin either physically, emotionally, and especially spiritually. During the fourteenth century,Show MoreRelatedFeminism Types and Definitions Liberal1287 Words   |  6 PagesLogin Plans Pricing How It Works Courses Degrees Schools Careers | Register Search Courses Lessons Feminism Types and Definitions: Liberal, Socialist, Culture Radical / Sex and Gender in Society / Sociology 101: Intro to Sociology / Social Science / Courses Like? 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Leadership Characteristics Of Effective Transformational...

Discuss three leadership attributes this person possessed AND provide specific examples you witnessed when these attributes were used to demonstrate effective clinical leadership During my clinical placement, I experienced many examples of effective transformational leadership attributes including communication, trustworthiness and motivational from my leader, Linda. Ewing (2016), defined communication as the art and science of transmitting information, involving both verbal and nonverbal methods. One example of Linda providing effective communication was during the rapid response for a patient under my care who was unresponsive. During this time, Linda provided direct direction to fellow team members and myself. Linda calmly prompted†¦show more content†¦The article ‘Keeping Patients Safe: Transforming the Work Environment of Nurses’ (2004), defines trustworthy as the willingness to be depend on as truthful or honest to the intentions of others. Linda upholds trust through patient confidentiality, keeping colleagues debriefs were private and gained trust in the way she treated others. Research suggests that transformational leaders gain trust from follower through, actively listen, showing an interest, including others in making decisions and being honest (Paterson, 2013), this is something Linda did on an everyday basis. A s transformational leadership is based on change, it is essential that trust between followers and leaders is maintained (Paterson, 2013). Furthermore, during shifts I found Linda to be great support to junior staff as she was approachable and ensued there was always time to debrief after situations like the rapid response. Lambrou et. Al (2010) define motivation as â€Å"the processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal (Lambrou, Kontodimopoulos and Niakas, 2010)†. 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Health of Children Free Essays

string(127) " referred to in the DfES guidance indicated that about 10% of pupils experience clinically defined mental health difficulties\." | |Healthy minds | | |Promoting emotional health and well-being in schools | | | | Contents Executive summary1 Key findings4 Recommendations6 The role of schools in providing for pupils with mental health difficulties7 Whole-school approaches to promoting good mental health10 Recognising and providing for individual needs17 Working in partnership with other agencies17 Relationships with parents24 Informal arrangements27 Provision through professional referral31 Notes34 Further information35 Publications35 Websites36 Executive summary This report examines the vital role played by schools in promoting the emotional well-being of their pupils. It analyses practice based on evidence gathered from visits by Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) to 72 schools and reports on the impact of the guidance provided to schools four years ago by the Department of Education and Skills (DfES) and the National Healthy Schools Standards (NHSS), agreed in 1999. [1],[2] Both clarify the importance of good provision to ensure that schools meet the needs of pupils with mental health difficulties. We will write a custom essay sample on Health of Children or any similar topic only for you Order Now Schools’ lack of knowledge of the DfES guidance results from a missed opportunity to improve the quality of provision for pupils with mental health difficulties. The large number of schools visited for this survey who were not working towards meeting the NHSS is of serious concern. Only just over half of them were aware that such standards existed. Of these, only a very small minority of schools were working towards or had met the criteria for providing for pupils’ emotional health and well-being. One barrier was the low level of awareness of the importance of the issue. It is unsurprising, therefore, that training for staff on mental health difficulties was found to be needed in three quarters of the schools. Most training tended to focus on strategies for managing pupils’ behaviour rather than on promoting positive approaches to relationships and resolving conflicts. Despite such a lack of awareness in schools of mental health issues, there was good practice in one third of the schools in the survey, including: †¢ an ethos which valued and respected individuals †¢ a serious approach to bullying and pupils’ difficulties with relationships, and swift resolution of problems †¢ good arrangements for listening carefully to pupils’ views †¢ the involvement of parents in identifying problems and making provision for their children. Good joint working between health services, social services and schools was at the heart of effective planning and provision for individual pupils. Although multi-agency working was becoming better established within local education authorities, it was unsatisfactory in a quarter of the schools. Schools, parents and pupils were not always aware of how they might gain access to services. The best arrangements included regular meetings attended by a range of professionals, where work was coordinated, referrals made and difficulties followed up. Health services, social services and schools used different terms to describe mental health difficulties. The lack of a common language added to difficulties in recognising and meeting pupils’ needs. Schools identified about one in twenty pupils with mental health problems, although the Department of Health suggests a figure nearer one in ten. Arrangements for pupils to refer themselves for support and help were popular with them, as well as effective. This was particularly so where a pupil was struggling emotionally but where the school had not noticed changes in the pupil’s behaviour. Mentoring and support from peers was also very effective at providing a listening ear and opportunities for positive friendships. The report concludes that schools should make the promotion of pupils’ emotional health and well-being a priority and ensure all staff are aware of the guidance available. Key findings were nearly all primary or special schools and pupil referral units (PRUs). Secondary schools found it most difficult to make arrangements for multi-agency working a priority and they rarely took the lead in improving this aspect of their work. The lack of common language between education, health and social services professionals contributed to the difficulties in establishing good partnership working. Recommendations Local authorities and other agencies should: †¢ ensure that services for pupils with mental health difficulties are co-ordinated effectively within their area and that access to services is clear to schools, parents, children, young people and other service users †¢ commission, where appropriate, the services of voluntary organisations. Schools and other settings should: use the DfES national guidance on mental health difficulties to develop clear procedures, that are known and used by all staff, for identifying and supporting pupils †¢ ensure that issues concerning mental health are tackled successfully, either through the National Healthy School Standard (NHSS) programme or the PSHE curriculum †¢ establish arrangements for preventing bullying and promoting positive relationships and moni tor their effectiveness †¢ work together to ensure that the DfES guidance is disseminated to all staff. The role of schools in providing for pupils with mental health difficulties 1. Many services play an important role in promoting pupils’ emotional health and well-being, including health services, social services, voluntary organisations, early years provision and schools. However, the notion of mental health difficulties carried a considerable stigma for many pupils and their parents. This, together with the need to attend a clinic, created difficulties for Child and Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in working with young people and their parents. A few pupils in the survey said that they did not wish to attend clinics for their appointments and did not want to be labelled as mentally ill. Schools, therefore, play an important role in supporting children and young people in this area. 2. Guidance provided by the DfES in 2001 aimed to help teachers and others, working alongside mental health professionals, to promote children’s mental health and to intervene effectively. [3] It provides a useful description of the nature of pupils with mental health difficulties and a thorough overview of the issues relating to joint working between health services, social ervices and education. It suggests helpful strategies for schools to use. Few schools, however, were aware of the guidance which should have provided a good opportunity to improve the quality of provision for pupils with mental health difficulties. 3. A survey referred to in the DfES guidance indicated that about 10% of pupils experience clinically defined mental healt h difficulties. You read "Health of Children" in category "Essay examples" The schools visited, however, identified only between 4% and 6% of pupils overall with some form of mental health difficulty, indicating some under-identification. This might go some way to explaining why schools struggle to manage the behaviour and attendance of some pupils, if they are not correctly identifying their difficulties and providing for them. 4. The 1999 Mental Health Foundation publication Bright futures defined children who are mentally healthy as able to: †¢ develop psychologically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually †¢ initiate, develop and sustain mutually satisfying personal relationships †¢ use and enjoy solitude †¢ become aware of others and empathise with them †¢ play and learn develop a sense of right and wrong †¢ resolve (face) problems and setbacks and learn from them. [4] 5. Health services, social services and schools all use different terms to describe pupils and their conditions. There are many definitions of the term ‘mental health difficulty’ ranging from the highly categorised, commonly used by many health services, to those based on more descriptive terms which are prevalent in schools and other educational settings. 6. ‘Mental health’ and ‘mental health difficulties’ are more commonly used terms within health and social care. Schools and local authorities are increasingly using the term ‘emotional health and well-being’ in relation to both the care they take of pupils and the curriculum they provide. 7. The lack of shared definitions and understanding of mental health problems, however, makes it difficult for schools to identify and discuss these pupils. In a small proportion of primary schools, boys were pinpointed as more likely to exhibit mental health difficulties, but most schools reported no pattern. Some secondary schools identified more girls who were depressed, self-harming or who had eating disorders. However, no real gender differences were apparent and boys and girls were equally likely to have mental health problems which were evident in school. Whole-school approaches to promoting good mental health 8. The best schools promoted good emotional health and well-being by valuing and respecting every individual. In the schools visited, those which embodied a value system that embraced all children identified fewer children with mental health problems. These schools promoted many and varied opportunities for pupils to share their thoughts and feelings. They used the curriculum to develop pupils’ listening skills and an understanding of other people’s points of view: this culture permeated school life. Case study A primary school in a disadvantaged area had a caring and supportive ethos in which the personal development and emotional well-being of pupils was very effectively promoted. There was a strong emphasis on developing all pupils’ self-esteem and ensuring that they had the language and opportunities to express their feelings and emotional needs. The school council and staff were concerned that some pupils did not have friends to play with at break time. Very good initiatives, including ‘Playground Buddies’ and a ‘Friendship Area’, were introduced in response to these concerns. The school worked very hard to build up and maintain supportive relationships with parents and guardians, who felt that the school was a very safe and caring place for the children. The whole staff, including teachers, teaching assistants, administrative staff, catering staff, the site manager and cleaning staff contributed to this whole-school thos. 9. Pupils interviewed for the survey identified a lack of friendships and bullying as reasons for emotional difficulties in school. In all the schools with good arrangements for promoting health and well-being, bullying was not tolerated at any level. Pupils were able to discuss any incidents where they felt bullied and matters were discussed sensitively and resolved speedily. In these schools the pupils specifically commented that they were happy at school because they could talk to an adult if they had problems and know that action would be taken. 10. All schools taught a programme of personal, social and health education (PSHE). Nearly all primary and special schools discussed some elements of anger management, conflict resolution, bullying and friendship difficulties through such programmes. The provision was always at least satisfactory, and was good in over half of all schools visited. 11. Very few of the schools, however, tackled mental health difficulties specifically. These were missed opportunities to promote pupils’ general emotional well-being, particularly so in secondary schools where there were generally fewer opportunities to explore such issues. Only a third of the secondary schools visited taught PSHE programmes which included topics such as bereavement, stress and bullying. 12. The Primary National Strategy has provided training and curriculum materials for schools which focus on the social and emotional aspects of learning. At the heart of the materials is the belief that positive behaviour requires an active, whole-school approach to developing children’s social, emotional and behavioural skills within a community that promotes the emotional well-being of all its members. A few of the schools visited were involved in the pilot stage of this work to very good effect. These schools were teaching pupils how to understand their own feelings and those of others, persevere when things became difficult, resolve conflict and manage worries. Staff found the training helpful and were in a good position to ensure their pupils learned how to take responsibility for their relationships and their learning. Following successful piloting, the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) curriculum resource was made available to all primary schools in June 2005. [5] Case study A Year 5 class explored what it felt like to join a new group. Pupils talked freely about their own experiences of joining clubs, moving to a new school and trying to make new friends. They used a good range of vocabulary to describe the feelings associated with newness and change, ranging from ‘scared’ and ‘excited’ to ‘apprehensive’ and ‘excluded’. Groups then planned what they would put in a welcome pack for a newcomer to their school. They gave careful thought to the kinds of information that would be helpful and to the ways in which they, as individuals, could be supportive. 3. No similar national programme was observed in secondary schools although one is currently being developed. Overall, secondary schools were less successful than primary and special schools at tackling issues of emotional health and well-being through whole-school initiatives. 14. In over half of the secondary schools visited, behaviour policies created stress or tensions for pupils. For example, in one school, exclusion was a common response to difficult behaviour; as a result, the pupils felt under-valued. Schools made only very limited efforts to provide a suitable curriculum to meet these pupils’ emotional and learning needs. In one learning support centre within a school, pupils were taught by unskilled staff in poor surroundings which contributed to their low self-esteem. In a PRU, Year 11 pupils involved in a transition programme jointly run with the youth offending team reported that they were sent home on study leave two months before their official leaving date, even though they were not taking any formal examinations. They felt unwanted and this has had a negative effect on their self esteem, behaviour and attendance. 5. A significant minority of the secondary schools found ways to promote emotional well-being through their behaviour policies. For example, one large secondary school was developing ways to ensure that older pupils remained engaged with their school, even though they were soon to leave. A group of Year 11 pupils received two days’ training to devel op skills of listening and helping pupils to find their own solutions to problems. The pupils subsequently provided a non-threatening opportunity for pupils who were experiencing difficulties to confide in someone and share their problems. The trained listeners received an external accreditation award for completing their training. 16. One barrier to improving provision for pupils’ emotional well-being was the low level of awareness amongst staff of its importance. Hardly any schools were aware of the comprehensive guidance issued by the DfES in 2001. [6] Even fewer schools had provided any staff training to raise awareness of the issues and the strategies described in the guidance. 17. Training for staff on mental health difficulties was unsatisfactory in just over a third of the schools visited and good in only just under a quarter. Most training tended to focus on managing pupils’ behaviour rather than on promoting a positive approach to relationships and resolving conflicts. However, a few secondary mainstream and special schools were developing an approach to conflict resolution based on ‘restorative justice’. This ensured that, where there were conflicts, all points of view were aired and discussed. The pupils valued this: they felt they could ‘have their say’ and that their views were respected. The training programme for staff was effective: teachers and support staff felt able to implement the programme successfully. 8. The National Healthy Schools Standard (NHSS) is at the core of the government’s healthy schools programme. [7] It was introduced in October 1999 to support the teaching of PSHE and citizenship in schools and to provide schools with practical ways to create a safe and productive learning environment and minimise potential health risks. One of its eigh t key areas of activity is emotional health and well-being (including bullying). Of serious concern, however, was the large number of schools in the survey who were not working towards meeting the standard. Only just over a half were ware that the NHSS existed and, of these, only a very small minority were working towards or had met the criteria for emotional health and well-being in their school. 19. Small schools often had informal but effective arrangements for recording and discussing concerns about pupils’ well-being. Staff quickly perceived changes in pupils’ behaviour, demeanour or progress. An important feature of these effective schools was the quality of the communication between staff, for example between class teachers, teaching assistants and the special educational needs co-ordinator. Recognising and providing for individual needs Working in partnership with other agencies 20. All schools and LEAs recognised the importance of working well with professionals from the health and social services. Joint working with these other agencies was crucial in planning and providing for pupils’ individual needs. The challenge, however, for professionals from a range of disciplines was to achieve a common understanding of the problems of pupils with mental health difficulties. The following case study shows the benefits of effective joint working. Case study A counsellor in a secondary school was working with a pupil who had referred herself for support. The pupil’s mother did not know this. A mental health worker from CAMHS, who worked in a local clinic, was also working with the pupil and approached the counsellor to see if they could work together with the pupil and parent. The counsellor discussed this with the pupil who gave permission for her mother to be contacted. Both professionals became engaged in supporting the parent and child. The consistent approach agreed between the adults ensured more straightforward discussions and properly agreed resolutions to problems. 1. Many of the local authorities visited were in a period of reorganisation as they set up Children’s Services to meet the requirements of the Children Act 2004. Practice is beginning to develop to establish the joint planning and working at the heart of this legislation. For example, one LEA was developing multi-agency patch teams and common referral pr ocedures were being considered. Despite this, the survey showed that there was a long way to go to ensure that the legislative intentions result in better practice in schools. 22. Partnerships with external services were unsatisfactory in nearly a quarter of the schools visited and significant improvements were required in two thirds of them. Only a few of the secondary schools had good arrangements for multi-agency working. Relationships between schools and social services were particularly variable. 23. Unsatisfactory relationships between schools and other agencies were typified by: †¢ the unavailability of social workers, even for urgent cases †¢ schools’ inflexibilities in approaching the planning of programmes to meet the needs of some of their pupils †¢ frequent staff changes long waiting lists for referrals †¢ reliance on personal informal contacts rather than agreed systems †¢ issues relating to geographical boundaries which remain unresolved. In the third of schools where multi-agency work was good, all the agencies had found ways of resolving such difficulties. 24. The most effective strategies which promoted good joi nt working included regular, frequent meetings attended by all agencies. Pupils’ needs were discussed and plans agreed and recorded. Case study A Vulnerable Students’ Panel effectively identified students xperiencing emotional health difficulties and provided appropriate multi-agency support for them. The panel met monthly and included representatives from a range of agencies. It was chaired by a deputy headteacher and a psychiatric nurse who was the manager of the school support centre. All school staff were informed confidentially about the students who had been discussed and this dissemination aided further identification. Decisions made by the panel ensured that agencies were deployed to work most effectively in their areas of greatest competence and avoided unnecessary duplication of effort. Importantly, the school and agency representatives were charged with taking action and reporting back on its success at the next meeting. In this way each organisation was accountable to the panel. 25. Identifying one person to be responsible for co-ordinating and liaising with health and social services helped communication and ensured important information about pupils was disseminated effectively. 26. In a few LEAs, networks of professionals working in the same area met regularly to share effective strategies. They learnt about each other’s working practices and this promoted a shared understanding of issues. There was good practice in schools where a wide range of professionals including counsellors, therapists, social workers and psychologists were employed by the school. Case study A primary school had formal procedures for logging concerns about a child’s academic, personal, social or emotional development. A nurture group also provided a way of identifying pupils who might have mental health difficulties. The school used short-term charitable funding to employ a family officer. She maintained close links with families identified as being in crisis and was therefore easily able to identify pupils at risk of developing difficulties in their emotional health and well-being. This approach encouraged partnership working so that parents referred their child to the family officer, headteacher or special educational needs coordinator if they had concerns. 27. Regular visits by other professionals helped schools to identify pupils who might be experiencing mental health difficulties. Case study The headteacher attended the school’s breakfast club every day and a mental health worker attended once a week. The club provided an effective method of identification through direct observation of children and regular communication with parents. 28. Sometimes other agencies initiated the joint working and the schools grasped the opportunity to participate. Case study A consultant paediatrician at a local hospital initiated collaboration amongst different schools to promote emotional literacy amongst pupils. The initiative was inspired by an attempt to deal with bullying, cited as a problem by many children who attended the hospital. The project, now in its fourth year, involved pupils from a primary school, special school, high school and the local tuition service. The project’s activities were based on posters which depicted problems faced by pupils. They were encouraged to develop listening skills, understand the perspective of others and to negotiate and compromise. Hospital staff encouraged the use of a common language by colleagues and the project fostered strong links between the health and education services. The result was fewer individual referrals to the hospital. Pupils who experienced bullying were usually referred directly to the project for support. 9. The pupils who were least mentally well were those who were withdrawn or depressed and who were underachieving as a result. Schools commonly identified pupils whose attendance was unsatisfactory and who did not participate fully in school life. Typically, these pupils had few or no friends and were isolated in the play ground. However, they pr esented few challenges to teachers and, too often, their problems were not followed up. Few schools saw non-attendance, lateness or falling behind in course work and homework as indicative of deeper problems. 30. Schools relied too much on informal methods to identify vulnerable pupils. Primary schools, particularly, insisted that they were able to identify such pupils easily because they knew their pupils very well. 31. Only a minority of the secondary schools used information from pupils’ previous schools to help recognise those who might experience mental health difficulties. Relationships with parents 32. A key to effective identification and provision lay in schools’ relationships with parents. Links with parents and other agencies were closest in the early years. Home visits, where parents could talk openly about their concerns and their children’s behaviour, and initiatives such as parenting classes, supported the identification of any problems or difficulties. As pupils grew older, schools found it harder to sustain such relationships, although there were examples of very good practice in primary, secondary and special schools. The main characteristics of good practice were: †¢ home visits by teachers and other support staff †¢ training for parents in developing healthy minds †¢ parental support groups †¢ regular meetings and telephone contact co-ordination with other agencies so that parents had to attend only one meeting. 33. Parental support groups were particularly common in the schools visited. In the following case study, the support groups were run by a local CAMHS team based in the school. The workers were able to talk to teachers while they were in the school and to ensure that information about individua l pupils was discussed with them when appropriate. Case study A group of six parents met for ten two-hour sessions. The aim of the group was to help parents enjoy rather than simply manage their children. Parents learned how to play games and stimulate their children, thus strengthening their relationship. They particularly appreciated the opportunity to share their concerns with other parents who understood the problems. One parent reported, ‘You realise you’re not on your own; you don’t feel so bad’. The project was in its infancy, but there were signs that it was helping parents to develop confidence and to help each other do better. 34. Difficulties in working with parents stemmed from: †¢ late diagnosis of a pupil’s problems †¢ uncoordinated support from a range of agencies poor information provided for parents about whom to contact †¢ inadequate account taken of parents’ childcare arrangements, so that they sometimes had difficulties in attending meetings †¢ negative feedback to parents about their children †¢ parents’ perceptions that the school had ‘given up’ on their child. One parent observ ed, ‘Nobody ever said what was available; you had to find out for yourself or hear it from someone else’. 35. Most, but not all, of the pupils identified with mental health difficulties also had emotional, social and behavioural difficulties (EBSD). Some had more than one such difficulty. Ofsted has reported recently on the provision for these pupils and its effectiveness. [8] This report focuses on the provision required for pupils who do not necessarily have special educational needs but who require additional emotional support to succeed at school. Informal arrangements 36. Half the schools in the survey operated self-referral or drop-in schemes run by peer counsellors, youth and community workers, school nurses, in-school counsellors and those from voluntary organisations. These arrangements enabled the pupils to identify themselves and seek the help they wanted and needed. Case study A secondary school appointed a health practitioner who dealt with a wide range of issues: developing self-esteem, anger management, relaxation and stress management. Pupils were able to make their own appointments and the work was completely confidential. She also did some teaching. This made her more accessible and reduced the stigma for pupils of ‘knocking at the door’. 37. A very small minority of primary schools offered pupils opportunities for self-referral to staff. In these schools, pupils could draw or write about themselves in a ‘reflections book’ or a ‘feelings book’, make use of a ‘bullying box’, and write or talk directly to the headteacher or the PSHE co-ordinator. Pupils who had such opportunities reported that this was supportive and gave them confidence. A Year 6 pupil said of her ‘reflections book’: ‘It helps me to have a confidential conversation with my teacher about things that are worrying me. ’ 38. A programme of education about values also helped pupils to talk freely and openly about their feelings. Each pupil was given a book in which they could write or draw a picture about the things that had made them happy or sad. Teachers monitored the books regularly to ensure that a pupil’s personal difficulties were identified early; they were powerful additions in a school where the ethos was already strongly supportive of pupils’ emotional well-being. 39. Clubs and after-school activities also enabled schools to support vulnerable pupils in a way which reduced the stigma of referrals. 40. In one primary school, 50 pupils regularly attended the ‘happy/sad’ club, where they talked about positive or negative experiences that concerned them. Clear ground rules had been established, which were understood by pupils, such as respecting what had been discussed and not gossiping. Pupils could put a photograph in a scrapbook of people that were special to them. The teacher usually led a short, directed session based on an appropriate text and provided an opportunity for meditation and reflection. The high number attending reduced the possibility of negative labelling and pupils had good opportunities to share their thoughts and feelings openly with their peers. 1. Pupils often commented that they particularly valued opportunities to talk and be listened to. The extent to which pupils with mental health difficulties have problems in making and sustaining friendships may explain, to some extent, the success of peer support schemes. 42. Nearly half the primary schools visited had effective initiatives which were based on pupils helping each other to resolve difficulties. One school focused on socially isolated pupils by appointin g ‘playground angels’. The ‘angels’ had weekly meetings with a teacher and were also represented on the school council. Pupils involved in these activities felt that they helped them to show responsibility towards younger children and to develop into mature and sensible people. 43. Others schools focused on the difficult point of transition between primary and secondary school. Pupils who struggled to make friends were considered by a few primary schools to be particularly at risk of experiencing problems. These schools developed a range of peer support programmes, as in the following example: Case study A group of Year 4 pupils were considered to be at risk of difficulties on transition and the school decided to make provision in collaboration with the local secondary school. Year 8 pupils were invited to apply for posts of pupil mentors. They were interviewed and successful applicants were trained. Over two years, the primary pupils visited the secondary school at least once each half term for lessons, lunchtimes and social activities. On each occasion they were met by their individual mentor and had time to discuss issues with them. Primary pupils really enjoyed the programme. They were very clear how the transitional programme had helped them to prepare for secondary education. 44. Two thirds of the secondary schools visited had good peer counselling, support and mediation systems. Peer mentors who had themselves experienced difficulties in the past commented on how much they valued helping younger pupils who were also experiencing problems. The most successful schemes provided thorough training for the pupils offering the support, as well as careful monitoring from the teachers responsible for it. Provision through professional referral 45. Referral systems differed widely. In one area, the consultant psychiatrists responded to requests for information about pupils; the service accepted referrals from any involved professional. More commonly, however, panels of professionals considered referrals. The latter arrangement had some advantages in that there was discussion and agreement on the type of intervention which was most likely to succeed. However, this arrangement also tended to create delays in responding to pupils’ needs. 46. Not all professionals were clear about how referrals should be made, and who ought to make them, for particular types of provision. This lack of clarity meant that pupils who might have benefited from services were not given access to them since the school was unaware that it could make such a referral. 47. Schools and pupil referral units (PRUs) did not always receive an equitable service from other agencies, especially where education, social services and health services had not agreed how resources should be allocated and work prioritised. It was common to find that a CAMHS worker was based in a school in one part of a local authority, while, in the same authority, another school had to make referrals to a panel. The schools were unaware of why these differences existed. 48. The most common types of provision were: †¢ counselling †¢ family work †¢ mentoring and support workers who visited the pupils regularly and provided advocacy and support through discussion and activities †¢ a modified curriculum and timetable †¢ nurture groups and sanctuary space. 49. This provision was largely effective when it was matched well to the assessment of the pupils’ needs. However not all schools were able to attract the additional resources required to provide these types of opportunities. Larger schools had more funding to be able to establish support centres specifically for pupils with mental health problems. 50. Local and national voluntary organisations played an important role in working with schools and local authorities to provide services for children and young people with mental health difficulties, and they were often represented on local CAMHS strategy groups. In some local authorities, partnerships with voluntary organisations provided helpful services for schools and parents, such as counselling and family therapy. Voluntary groups were often better at monitoring and evaluating the impact of their work since they depended on such evidence to attract further funding. Case study In one local authority a charity had been working in some schools for five years. For an annual fee, the school received a large amount of support from the charity which provided an art therapist and a dance instructor who worked with pupils identified by the school and provided counsellors, supervised by team leaders, from the charity. Notes This survey is based on the findings of a survey of 72 settings in eight local authorities. The settings and almost all the authorities were selected randomly to represent a mixture of shire and unitary authorities. One authority was chosen because of known good work in the area of mental health. Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) visited early years settings, primary and secondary schools, pupil referral units, hospital schools and settings, maintained and independent schools for pupils with EBSD and learning difficulties, and specialist provision for pupils who had been bullied. HMI observed lessons and other activities, scrutinised policies and records and held discussions with 269 pupils and 115 parents. Discussions were also held with a range of local authority staff, headteachers and senior managers, teachers, teaching assistants, learning mentors, and representatives of voluntary organisations. They also met CAMHS regional development workers. Further information Publications Promoting children’s mental health within early years and school settings, (DfEE 0121/2001), DfEE, 2001. SEN and disability: towards inclusive schools (HMI 2276), Ofsted, 2004. Managing challenging behaviour (HMI 2363), Ofsted, 2005. Mental Health and Social Exclusion, Social Exclusion Unit Report, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2004. http://www. socialexclusionunit. gov. uk/downloaddoc. asp? id=134 Promoting social, emotional and behavioural skills in primary schools, Primary National Strategy, DfES, 2004. Developing emotional health and well-being: a whole-school approach to improving behaviour and attendance, Key Stage 3 National Strategy, DfES, 2004. Behaviour and attendance toolkits, Key Stage 3 National Strategy, DfES, 2005. http://www. standards. fes. gov. uk/keystage3/respub/ba_toolu Promoting emotional health and well-being through the national healthy school standard (NHSS), NHS Health Development Agency, 2004. http://www. hda-online. org. uk/Documents/promoting_health_wellbeing. pdf Guidance on new ways of working for psychiatrists in a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency context: national steering group interim report, NIMHE, CWP, Royal Co llege of Psychiatrists and Department of Health, 2004. http://www. dh. gov. uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/en? CONTENT_ID=4087352=01RXVr Effective joint working between child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and schools, Research report no. 412, Bridget Pettitt, Mental Health Foundation, DfES, 2003. Websites www. dfes. gov. uk/mentalhealth DfES Mental Health www. rcpsych. ac. uk Royal College of Psychiatrists www. socialexclusionunit. gov. uk Mental health and social exclusion www. standards. dfes. gov. uk/primary DfES guidance on developing children’s social, emotional and behavioural skills www. teachernet. gov. uk/management/atoz/n/nhss/ National Healthy Schools Standard ———————– 1] Promoting children’s mental health within early years and school settings (DfES 0121/2001), DfES, 2001. [2]Promoting emotional health and well-being through the national healthy school standard (NHSS), NHS Health Development Agency, 2004. [3] Promoting children’s health within early years and school settings, DfES, 2001. [ 4] Bright futures: promoting children and young people’s mental health, Mental Health Foundation, 1999. [5] The SEAL resource box can be ordered from Prolog, Tel. 0845 602 2260, dfes@prolog. uk. com (ref: DFES 0110 – 2005 KIT), or viewed and ordered from the Teachernet website: www. eachernet. gov. uk/seal. [6] Promoting children’s mental health within the early years and school settings, DfES, 2001. [7] The NHSS is funded jointly by the DfES and the Department of Health, hosted by the Health Development Agency (HDA). It forms part of the government’s drive to reduce health inequalities, promote social inclusion and raise educational standards through school improvement. [8] Managing challenging behaviour (HMI 2363), Ofsted, 2005. ———————– Primary and SecondaryJuly 2005 HMI 2457 ———————– How to cite Health of Children, Essay examples

Visions of the Future in the Film I, Robot

Table of Contents Introduction Technological advancement The natural environment The manmade environment Healthcare system Critical analysis Work Cited Introduction In the movie I, Robot, the filmmakers present their vision of the world in 2035. In addition to the expected technological advancement and numerous changes in the natural world, the world in 2035 is crucially different from ours in that a clear boundary between human beings and machines no longer exists.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Visions of the Future in the Film I, Robot specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In other words, robots have taken on almost all of the specifically human traits such as morality, language, self-consciousness, etc. Even though some of the aspects of the filmmaker’s vision of future are possible, and very likely to become reality, the essence of the film appears highly unrealistic. Technological advancem ent The film shows great advancements in technology. An example is the central computer, which is used to control other robots. This computer is integrated with an advanced AI which enables it to act in order to prevent human beings from harming one another. Another example is in the mode of transportation used by humans. The vehicle, detective Spooner drives, is the Audi RSQ, a concept car with a mid-engine layout that gives a picture of how future automobiles will be designed. Its wheels are shaped like balls allowing the vehicle to move sideways. This theme of technological advancement displays the potential benefits of artificial intelligence (Booker and Thomas 139). The natural environment The natural environment of the future is depicted as dried up and futile as far as water and other natural resources are concerned. An example is how a large area of Lake Michigan has dried up, and the lake is now being used as a landfill to store old robots.Advertising Looking for criti cal writing on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The sign that reads â€Å"What you see here is Lake Michigan† reveals to the audience that the lake has indeed dried up. This is clearly the writer’s projection of the trends that we now experience, and his vision about what will happen if those trends remain. The manmade environment The architecture in the movie is somewhat similar to the one present in Chicago today. To add an aspect of the future architecture, the infrastructure in the film has been altered. For example, new triangular antennas have been added on the Willis Tower. This building, which is the tallest skyscraper in the United States, has also been surpassed by the USR Building in the year 2035. The USR Building is made of glass and metal. The shape of the building is that of a knife blade which gives visitors a reeling sensation. One edge of the building is composed of clear glass. This a llows one to have a wide view of the city and all the way down to the building’s lobby. Healthcare system Another area that depicts how the future will look like includes the healthcare system. When Spooner suffers a cut in his arm after a fight with robots, he does not visit a doctor. Instead, he takes a prosthetic spray from his pocket, and sprays it across the area inflicted by the cut. The cut then seals up immediately, and his arm goes back to its original appearance. This looks more like a repair than healing. Though this raises the question of whether the future man will be capable of replacing parts of his body with near-natural objects, it depicts a time when rushing to the hospital due to an injury or disease is long past.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Visions of the Future in the Film I, Robot specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Critical analysis The abovementioned aspects of the worl d of the future are all realistic to an extent, but at the same time, at least some of them trespass upon the territory of pure fiction. First off, from my perspective, it is absolutely clear that we should consider the appearance of the natural world in the film as a warning about what will happen if we continue with our polluting practices. The climate change and skyrocketing levels of pollution in the atmosphere establish the trajectory that leads to a place very similar to the one in the film. Secondly, we can be quite certain that numerous advanced technological devices, of which the new type of car is just one example, are within our reach. Furthermore, the fact that humans have successfully implemented robots in many areas of industry gives us a reason to believe that the process will continue, and that we will be dependent on robotics for most of our industrial practices. One the other hand, from today’s perspective, one of the crucial aspects of the film which is sel f-awareness of artificial creatures seems to belong to the realm of fantasy. As a reminder, it is worth mentioning that a robot in the film develops a critical attitude towards the reality, which shows that it has a deep understanding of the world and the self in it, and is able to pass value judgments about how that world is supposed to be. However, I find this aspect of robotic intelligence unattainable. Here, it might be useful to consider John Searle’s (1980) thought experiment called Chinese room.Advertising Looking for critical writing on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the experiment, he presupposes that if humans were able to program a robot to speak Chinese like a native speaker, it would also mean that the program could be run and calculated manually. In the process of manual calculation, a human would be able to produce grammatical and meaningful Chinese sentences without understanding a word of Chinese. This way, Searle convinces us that robots are essentially unable to have any meaningful experience, but the array of possible behaviors of robots is potentially infinite. Also, healthcare system, as depicted in the film, is very unlikely to be realized given the logic of our current capitalist society. The development of medications, as effective and accessible as the spray Spooner uses, seems to be in contradiction with our healthcare system based on profit, and as such, it would be fiercely opposed by some of the most powerful companies in pharmaceutical industry. Furthermore, ways of treatment as effective as that one would lead to unsus tainable growth in population which is another thing that humanity cannot afford. Work Cited Booker, M. Keith and Anne-Marie Thomas. The Science Fiction Handbook. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishers, 2009. Print. Searle, John. â€Å"Minds, Brains and Programs.† The Behavioral and Brain Sciences 3 (1980): 417-23. Print. This critical writing on Visions of the Future in the Film I, Robot was written and submitted by user Bianca O. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.